2012 Honda Ridgeline Rts on 2040-cars

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Total auto recalls already on record pace in 2014

If you've noticed that there have been more recalls than usual this year, you may be on to something. According to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the US market is on pace to break a record for recalls. In 2013, 22 million cars were recalled. We're only a third of the way through 2014, though, and we've already halved that figure, with 11 million units recalled. That's wild.
Considering the past few months, it shouldn't be a surprise that General Motors is leading the charge, with six million of the 11 million units recalled coming from one of the General's four brands. Between truck recalls, CUV recalls and the ignition switch recall, 2014 hasn't been a great year for GM.
Other recall leaders include Nissan (one million Sentra and Altima sedans), Honda (900,000 Odyssey minivans), Toyota (over one million units in a few recalls), Volkswagen (150,000 Passat sedans), Chrysler (644,000 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs) and most recently, Ford (434,000 units, the bulk of which were early Ford Escape CUVs). So while it's been a bad year for GM so far, its competitors aren't doing too well, either.

Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #319 LIVE!

We record Autoblog Podcast #319 tonight, and you can drop us your questions and comments regarding the rest of the week's news via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #319
Jeep checks out the Grand Wagoneer at Wagonmaster

Refreshed Honda Civic's first commercial is a minor mea culpa

Honda has officially rolled out the first ad for the 2013 Civic. The one-minute spot focuses on a number of clever inventions that improve on old themes, from rocket-powered parachutes to hover bikes and smart window shades, before shifting to the redesigned compact. Set to Santigold's "Disparate Youth," the ad culminates with the phrase, "Things can always be better." This is likely as close as we'll come to hearing Honda say, "we could have done better."
Unveiled at the 2012 LA Auto Show, the 2013 Civic features revised front and rear fascias, nicer cabin materials and an updated suspension just one year after the ninth-generation model debuted. That car received scaling reviews from critics, most notably Consumer Reports, who felt the 2012 Civic was a step backwards for a company known for producing high-quality, economical vehicles. You can check out the full ad for the 2013 Civic below before it debuts during the Rose Bowl.